Bar Brawls
by Freak-With-Issues
Summary: Sakura has a habit of going to bars every night to get drunk so she can forget. What happens when one night she meets the one man that makes her want to remember every moment. M for violence/abuse.
1. Hammered

**A/N**: I spent the last two days smashing this out. It is already finished, so don't fear me getting writters block. This story was inspired by the book All The Wrong Reasons by JL Paul. While this story and the book are very different, they both start with a singer in a bar and a girl who listens. Also, the outfits for this chapter and the upcoming chapters will be on my profile so check them out.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Naruto, Seether, any of the clothes picked for this story, Evanescence, P!nk, or anything else 'cept the plot. They all belong to their rightful owners.

I walked into the bar pressing my palm to my forehead under my curtain of hair in a pointless attempt to ease the feeling of a jackhammer running wild in my head after another fight with Sasuke. I was going to get smashed so I wouldn't remember anything tomorrow, the same thing I did every time things went bad between him and I which meant I was an almost daily regular at this bar. This was my method of coping, and I was fine with it. I refused to touch dope because, in my opinion, it was a thousand times worse than getting so hammered I couldn't recall my name.

Most of my friends who knew about my behavior claimed I was setting myself up to get roofied or something, but I was always alert and a black belt so the day I got taken advantage of Sasuke would climb off his high horse. I casually glanced around the bar before waving to the bartender and seating myself on a stool right in front of him. I didn't have a regular drink, I just took whatever he mixed up for me since if I drank the same stuff again and again I quickly got tolerant to it and the shit wouldn't do anything for me.

I heard someone tap the mic on the stage at the front of the bar and I turned my stool that way to watch. They were always switching the bands up, no band lasting longer than a week or two. Tonight it looked like there was a new band since I saw a shaggy brown haired guitarist walk up the stage steps and he looked unfamiliar. I was glad he had brought his own guitar, a nice one by the looks of it, since the bar's supplied instruments were from the dump. One of the bartenders had a second job there and brought them here with him one day so they could pay the bands less because they already had equipment. Most of the better bands were smart enough to bring their own stuff though.

I grabbed my drink, taping a long sip and smiling at the burning in my throat. There was definitely whiskey in whatever I had tonight. Nothing was going on up on the stage so I turned my attention back to the bar, staring at my drink. Six shots later I was feeling the alcohol do its job and I became more relaxed, the tension in my muscles lessening slightly. That was when I heard a gritty and raspy voice that shook me from my state.

_'Hold me now I need to feel relief_

_Like I never wanted anything_

_I suppose I'll let this go and find a reason I'll hold onto_

_And I'm out of reason to believe in me_

_I'm out of trying to get by_

_I'm so afraid of the gift you give me_

_I don't belong here and I'm not well_

_I'm so ashamed of the lie I'm living_

_Right on the wrong side of it all_

_I can't face myself when I wake up_

_And look inside a mirror_

_I'm so ashamed of that thing_

_I suppose I'll let it go_

_Until I have something more to say for me_

_I'm so afraid of defeat_

_And I'm out of reason to believe in me_

_I'm out of trying to defy_

The tall red-haired man on stage had my full attention now as he sung his singing turning to screaming at points in the song. He paused and stepped back from the mic as music continued on. His sharp stare picked through the crowd quickly as if he was judging everyone watching him. When his eyes flitted over me I felt my heart jump, but not in fear as usual. I wasn't sure what the tug I felt in my chest towards him was, but it made me listen extra carefully.

_I'm so afraid of the gift you give me_

_I don't belong here and I'm not well_

_I'm so ashamed of the lie I'm living_

_Right on the wrong side of it all_

_Hold me now I need to feel complete_

_Like I matter to the one I need_

_I'm so afraid of the gift you give me_

_I don't belong here and I'm not well_

_I'm so ashamed of the lie I'm living_

_Right on the wrong side of it all_

_Now I'm ashamed of this_

_I am so ashamed of this_

_Now I'm so ashamed of me_

_I am so ashamed of me...'_

The bar broke into clapping and drunken attempts at wolf-whistles. I myself just smiled, something about the lead singer intriguing me to pay a little more attention to the show tonight. I took the time, as they set up for their next song, to study all of the band members. The guitarist I had seen earlier with the long shaggy brown hair was a widely built guy, but did not look fat. More like he had broad shoulders and what appeared to be an out of shape body that hid muscles. He wore black jeans, purple converse, and a matching black t-shirt that had a picture of a kitten with elongated claws and sharp, vicious teeth and feathers hanging from its mouth.

On the drums was a dirty blonde haired chick with her hair pulled into four pigtails. She had on a purple off the shoulder long-sleeve shirt with a mesh tank top under and a miniskirt the same color as her shirt. Strapped onto her feet were a pair of purple stilettos which looked impossible to walk in. A man with a bass guitar headed towards the drummer, catching my attention. He had dark brown haired pulled up into a spiky brown ponytail. He wore a plain green t-shirt and faded jeans along with green beaten tennis shoes.

Finally, my gaze wondered to the redhead again whose hair was even longer than the guitarists. He wore a simple pair of black jeans, a black t-shirt with Seether's logo on it, and a pair of black skate shoes. Something about him made my gaze stick on him. The band then began the next song and I listened intently. After that, and several more songs, they exited the stage and claimed a table pretty close to me. They immediate dropped into conversation but I noticed the redhead only rarely interjected a word or two.

With a random burst on confidence, I set down my drink, slid off my stool, and headed over to their table. I came up behind the bigger brown haired guitarist and tapped him on the shoulder. When he turned around I smiled and told him, "I enjoyed your guys' show. What songs were you playing?"

The boy smiled at me, sticking out a hand for me to shake. With slight hesitation I took his hand and he firmly shook it. "Which song in particular caught your attention?"

"You guys did a good job on all of it, but the first one was really the one that got me listening."

"Ah, that would be The Gift by Seether. Gaara's actually got one of their shirts on." Of course, I already knew the red head or Gaara was wearing Seether's latest band t-shirt and who all the songs they had covered were by, but I needed some way to start the conversation. I let my gaze linger over to Gaara to see he was glaring at me with cold green eyes as he lifted a drink to his lips.

"We don't welcome groupies." he hissed and I felt the same pull towards him, no matter how rude he was being.

"Ignore him; it's always nice to know people like to hear us play." The dirty blonde held it her hand across the table as she spoke. The man with the spike hair in a ponytail had an arm lazily slung around her shoulders and I noted how cute they looked together. "I'm Temari. He's my brother Kankuro, you know who my other brother Gaara is, and this lazy idiot and my boyfriend is Shikamaru." She gestured around the table and I got a wink from Kankuro, glare from Gaara, took the handshake from Temari which was as strong as her brother's, and earned a mutter of 'troublesome' from Shikamaru.

I knew she was waiting for me to give her my name, but I didn't plan on staying much longer. I wasn't even sure where I got the confidence to walk up and talk to them in the first place. "I haven't seen you guys here before. Where were you all hiding?"

Kankuro barked out a laugh. "Trying to get the stick out of Gaara's ass so he'd sing on stage." That earned him a hard punch from the redhead that looked like it hurt. I laughed, subconsciously brushing my hair from my face when it slipped out of place from my movement and completely covered my eyes. I instantly regretted the action when I saw Temari's eyes widen.

"Your eye..."

"Is purple and swollen? Not really all that attractive, I know." I tried to laugh it off, but I had noticed when I had said purple and swollen Gaara had swiveled his wandering gaze around to look at me.

"Are you alright?" Temari asked warily, obviously uncomfortable.

"Fine. Just ignore it." I was almost pleading, not wanting to remain on the subject. I came here to get smashed and forget, not to talk. I glanced back at the bartender, putting my hand up while only holding up four fingers.

He quickly set to work and then arrived at the table with my four shots. "Here you are miss." I nodded to him, gulping down the shot quickly before turning my attention back to the band. I didn't like the way they were all staring at me.

"So the three of you are sibling, huh? I couldn't get along with my siblings for five minutes so can't imagine what being in a band with them would be like." I said, referring to Gaara, Kankuro, and Temari since other than being Temari's boyfriend I had no idea where Shikamaru fell into the mix. He seemed nice enough though other than his grumbling

"Hell." Gaara replied shortly, giving me a piercing glare.

Temari absently swatted him with a manicured hand before adding to his answer. "Sometimes it is, but we are closer than most siblings so whatever we fight about we forget about later." I had trouble listening to her answer as the alcohol began slowing everything down for me and I felt the full effect of all my drinks that night.

I nodded, about to ask another question, when I felt him behind me sending a jolt of fear through me. Hopefully I hadn't visually reacted. "Sasuke," I stated evenly, still looking straight at Temari. Temari glanced around me and her eyes grew widder. Kankuro looked behind me also, but his face twisted into an aggravated expression.

"Sakura. We are leaving now." He quickly snatched my arm by the elbow and started dragging me out of the bar, not caring if I bumped into things along the way including metal tables.

"Bye Sakura!" Temari shouted, waving. I waved back slightly before Sasuke jerked on my arm, causing me to wince. Soon enough, we were out the door and I steeled myself for another argument.


	2. Breaking and Bruising

**A/N: **I got such a great reaction that I decided, 'What the hell, I'll update today!' I really thank all you guys for your amazing support! Waking up to find my inbox flooded was such a great confidence booster! Also, the clothes for the first and this chapter are up on my profile if you want to see how I pictured everyone. Otherwise, go wild with imagination! I realize this chapter is shorter too, but that has a purpose. And as I said before, this whole this is pre-written so it is the way it is.

The very next night I was back at the bar, sitting on one of the stools stirring my drink while absently picking at the hem of my long sleeved black dress and glaring at the matching black pumps which were extremely annoying to walk in, but matched the dress. When I heard that grating voice a smirk crept up on my lips and I looked up to see Gaara, Temari, Kankuro, and Shikamaru up on stage playing Breakdown, yet another Seether song. I could definitely tell they liked that band, but fortunately I did too.

They pleasantly surprised me with the next song by playing Call Me When You're Sober by Evanescence. I, once again, felt the need to stay through their whole performance. It was just as good as, if not better than, the last one with both the song selection and playing. I wondered how something could captivate my attention so easily, but didn't dwell on it because my mother had taught me not to look a gift horse in the mouth, it got her killed.

After the show they claimed the same table and I, just as hammered as last time and with the same odd rush of confidence, went up to talk to them again. "I don't mean to make this a habit, I just enjoyed out last conversation."

Temari and Kankuro smiled at me while Shikamaru looked to be dozing off and Gaara refused to acknowledge me. "I'll grab you a chair this time," Kankuro offered as he jumped up from his own and pulled an empty one from a nearby table. I, after thanking him sat down.

"Your eye looks better," Temari commented and I was compelled to tell her concealor did that, but didn't. After a rather awkward silence she added, "That was an interesting exit last night."

I didn't like where the conversation was headed. "Sasuke doesn't like to be kept waiting. I'm still not sure how he found me here." While people knew I drank quite often, I never took anyone with me or revealed bar names, especially not this one-my favorite one-so I was still trying to figure out him finding me. It made me wonder just how closely he watched and controlled me which angered me.

Kankuro snorted, "Your boyfriend?"

"I'm not sure."

He looked at me with a confused expression. "You're not sure?"

"We haven't established what our relationship with each other is." I really didn't like this conversation anymore. It was headed into unsure and troubling territory I had avoided thinking about let alone talking about.

"That's because there isn't one. You are his toy, nothing more." I turned to Gaara with a cold glare when he said that and he returned it. I didn't know what his issue was with me, but it annoyed me.

"You have absolutely no information on the situation," I hissed through gritted teeth, angry because even with his rude comment I felt the same strong pull towards him as the night before.

"I don't need any. I saw the way you let him pull you along. Does he dress you in the mornings too?" That struck a nerve with me since Sasuke could be somewhat controlling at times.

"I take care of myself thank you." Lie.

"Princess, you can't handle yourself at all. I'm sure if you could really take care of yourself then you wouldn't be interested in that bastard." A feral smirk graced Gaara's face as he spoke, leaning towards me. Somehow, it didn't scare me as much as Sasuke's regular smile did.

"Fuck you."

"I know you want to, but I steer away from whores." When he said that Temari, who had been fearfully staying out of our argument, jumped in. She smacked Gaara on the side of the head.

"Don't talk to her like that. Sakura I'm so-" she began to apologize but I was up out of my chair and storming away to the bar already. I asked for a bottle of whiskey this time, ready to forget the past couple hours completely. No one moved to bring me back to their table and I was grateful since I was on the edge of snapping at someone at the moment. When I was three-quarters of the way through the bottle I knew I was drunk enough to head out. I could finish the bottle at home and tomorrow I'd wake up and just think Sasuke and I had had a particularly bad argument.

I went to slip off my barstool and fell to the floor. What the hell? I'd been drunk before, but I'd never been so damned clumsy. With the help of my stool I heaved myself back to my feet and stumbled to the bar, grabbing the remainder of the bottle. I reached into my clutch and slapped down the money for my drinks that night and the night before. I then wobbled slightly before stumbling towards the door. It seemed to take forever, but I finally reached it and left the bar. The rush of cold air brought on another type of rush and I had to lean over the gutter so I could puke my guts out. After finishing I straightened up and headed to my car.

Car...car...car...Sasuke...car...Sasuke? I looked back to see him leaning up against his car staring at me. I sighed, not at all in the mood for fighting, and made my way over to him. When I reached him he just glared at me with disgust. "Clean yourself up. We have brunch with my parents tomorrow and you cannot be disheveled. Also, stop coming here. I don't want you whoring yourself around with all those men. It's bad for my reputation." I, being the drunken mess I was, decided for the first time in my life to stand up to him.

"You're just a big bully. I ain't whoring myself around, I'm getting drunk so I can forget your ducky ass! Quack!" I slurred, dancing around like an idiot attempting to mock him. That was when his fist slammed into my right cheek. I was thrown to the cement, skidding along and getting my legs torn up by the ground. I was shocked he had the guts to hit me publicly. Everything before now was behind closed doors where he Uchiha reputation couldn't be damaged by his violent actions. I would love to have his parents sit in on one of our 'arguments'.

"You will not talk to me like that." he commanded in a low voice.

"Or what?" I giggled, acting like a complete idiot. Bad choice. He reached forward and grabbed my head in both hands. He then lifted me by my head and proceeded to smash my already throbbing cranium into the window of the car next to his. The window shattered under the force and I tried to scream but nothing came out. He then dropped me to ground with a grunt of disgust.

"Meet me for brunch tomorrow." And then everything was black.


	3. Take Me Home

**A/N: **Freaky strikes again! Originally I had typed this story up to be six chapters but you guys were just so encouraging I'm lengthening the story. I've already added two chapters (and counting) and I'm so happy! My work is coming out the way I want it to and I'm just feeling so much better! I thank everyone for the immense support because it came at a time where I really need it and while you guys may not have known that, you all have perfect timing!

The sound of crunching footsteps and cursing were the first things I was aware of. The voice sounded familiar when it cursed, "Shit, someone broke the passenger window. Go around and see if anything was taken from the car. A separate pair of crunching footsteps approached me before the person stopped abruptly.

"Holy fuck! Temari!" The first set of footsteps sprinted closer to me before the owner of them cursed too. "What happened to her?"

"I don't know! See if she's conscious!" I felt hands on my shoulders, pulling me up into a sitting position. I let a groaned protest since the movement jostled my aching and sticky feeling head. Hands touched my head and I let out a scream of pain causing them to quickly jerk away. That was when I put effort into forcing my eyelids open to see it was day and Kankuro was holding me up by my shoulders and Temari's hand was hovering near my head.

"Sakura, what the hell happened? You're covered in blood! You need to go to a hospital!"

Despite the pain I immediately turned my head so I could look her in the eye and shouted, "No, I can't!"

She looked stunned but quickly recovered. "Sweetie, there is probably glass in your head and by the looks of it you lost a blood! That isn't even mentioning the probability of a severe concussion, the guarantee of at least a minor one, and the fact you drank a lot last night!"

I again protested, knowing me showing up in a hospital severely would be horrible for Sasuke's image and that would end up biting me in the ass. Or smashing me in the head, whatever Sasuke preferred. That was when Gaara and Shikamaru came walking up.

"Why the hell does getting an amp take so fucking lon..." Gaara trailed off when he caught sight of me. "Looks like prince charming isn't so great after all."

I managed to sneer at him. "You think I didn't fucking know that." I retorted, my head aching from the hangover, blood loss, glass shards, and concussion.

"So you stick around with him why?"

"Complicated reasons." That was when I made an attempt to stand. I got halfway up and my legs just collapsed.

"Stop it, both of you. Sakura, you need a hospital!" Temari pleaded and with Kankuro helping on my other side lifted me to my feet.

"No. I need a mirror and tweezers to get the glass out." She looked absolutely stunned. Gaara simply shrugged and Shikamaru was still remaining silent.

"I have tweezers in my clutch, but can you guys take me inside and put me on the bathroom sink?" I pleaded, hoping they'd just comply. Temari was about to refuse along with Kankuro when Gaara stepped forward, snatched my clutch, and wrapped an arm around my waist before heading back to the bar with me in tow. Once inside he maneuvered through the bar while holding me up off the ground with his one arm so my legs didn't drag before taking me into the women's bathroom. He then set me down on the sink and handed me the clutch.

With shaking hands I reached into it, searching until I found my trusty tweezers. I used my empty hand to gently, but still painfully, find glass shards as I picked them out with the tweezers. I continued the process, having to pause and stop myself from bursting into tears after every painful removal. That was when I heard a grunt behind me. I glanced in the mirror to discover Gaara was standing behind me watching me.

"Here to watch me torture myself?" He shook his head with a sigh before stepping forward and taking the tweezers from my hands. He then turned my chin away and began studying my head. "What are you doing?" I felt him pluck out a shard and winced, but it was less painful than blindly doing it myself.

"I can't stand watching you pathetically struggle. It hurts my eyes." That answer was good enough for me and he delicately began picking around my head for the glass. The moment would have been intimate the way he carefully touched me had in not been under such bad circumstances. Silence reigned while he finished cleaning up my head of glass. After that was completed he filled his hands with water from the sink and dumped it over my head. It stung, but I knew it was necessary. The whole process had been uncomfortable, but at least I hadn't begun gushing blood. After the cleaning was done he dropped the bloody tweezers in the sink and turned on his heel, exiting the bathroom. When he did that I sighed, my eyes sliding shut as I reviewed the night before. The alcohol had obviously failed my because I could almost crystal clear remember everything. Especially Sasuke.

When the door swung open I expected Temari but there stood Gaara with bandages in hand. He set to work again, this time covering my wounds and occasionally rubbing disinfectatant into the bigger wounds. I winced countless times, but Gaara kept a straight face the whole time. By the time the whole ordeal was over I was dizzy, tired, and in pain. I let my eyes close and I felt warm envelope me before sleep took me under.

Third Person POV

Gaara lifted the sleeping pink haired woman up in his arms, grunting at how little she weighed. He carefully carried her out of the bathroom and into the bar before heading into the back where there was a set of stairs leading up the second story apartment he and his siblings as well as Shikamaru were renting from the bar. This stupid girl was going to be his demise, causing his heart to jump like it had when he'd seen her all messed up on the ground. When he'd seen her the first night the band had played, something about her had been off as well as intriguing. Meeting her after the show, he had known something was up.

Especially when he saw her eye. That had been the verification he had needed to know why he had been interested by her. She was like him. Or rather, she was like he had been in his childhood. Unable to hate his father since he loved him no matter how many times the man hurt him. That weakness in himself had bothered him, but seeing it in another more vulnerable person severely pissed him off.

He could tell Sakura liked, possibly even loved, the Sasuke asshole and it aggravated him somehow. It was like the pull to her that wasn't entirely related to their alike situations and he didn't understand either feeling. They only added to his frustration, making his fuse even shorter around her. He hadn't been entirely fair to her and had spoken out of line, but he was not one to apologize. He helping her clean up her wounds seemed like it should make up for his rudeness to him.

_Flashback_

_As they climbed up the stairs to their apartment, unlocked the door, and walked in Gaara couldn't help but think of the hasty exit the pinkette had been forced to make by the Sasuke character. Temari was apparently was thinking the same thing because she spoke up. "I don't like that guy that took Sakura from the bar. She seemed so nice and he was so forceful with her. That matched with her black eye makes me want to give that poor girl a helping hand."_

_"Troublesome, but you're right. She seems to be in a bad situation." Shikamaru admitted as he pulled his arm tighter around Temari's shoulder. Kankuro, who had headed straight to the fridge, peeked over the fridge door._

_"She's cute too. She shouldn't have to put up with being slapped around." He then returned to foraging for food._

_Gaara simply dropped down in a chair at the kitchen table. "She should get herself out then if it's so bad. It doesn't concern us."_

_Both Temari and Kankuro turned to him but Temari was the one with the guts to speak up. "We all know that it isn't that easy Gaara. You especially so you shouldn't be so harsh on her."_

_End Flashback_

He passed Kankuro and Temari who were seated at the kitchen table and went into his room, setting the sleeping girl on his bed before standing up and leaving the room. He made sure to close the door behind him as he exited the room, turning around to meet two devious smiles. "So...you and Sakura?"

Gaara glared at Kankuro for that. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"You actually talked to her when she sat with us even if it was insults, you looked like you had a heart attack when you saw her in the parking lot, you brought her inside and cleaned up her head after getting the glass out of her head, brought her upstairs, and put her in **your **room in **your **bed."

"Well yeah. If I put her in your room she'd wake up to see makeup and dolls everywhere."

"War paint and puppets! Get it right!"

"Gaara, I have to agree with Kankuro. You seem to have taken interest in Sakura." Temari interjected, kicking Kankuro under the table.

Gaara glared at them and dropped down in a chair. "She's like me. She's stuck between loving this guy and running for her life. It was the same between dad and I. The difference is I could protect myself and she doesn't even try. She just lets him hurt her."

Both his siblings could only solemnly nod their heads in agreement to that. They all sat around the table in silence, each trying to come up with a way to convince the pink haired girl get out of her situation. That was when Shikamaru came out of his room, yawning. "She may not think much of herself, but if Sasuke hurt someone or some people important to her maybe she'd change her mind. We just need to become those people so next time he shows up I know there'll be a fight and hopefully she'll stay with us."

With a smile Temari concluded, "You're a genius Shika!" He shrugged, grumbling about knowing that fact.

Gaara glared at the lazy genius. "I never said I wanted to get involved." At those words, Temari released Shikamaru and whirled around to face Gaara.

"Don't you dare try to tell me you don't wish someone would have helped you get away from dad! Now you are going to help this girl because what if Sasuke comes back and hurts her again? We may not know exactly how she came to be bloody and glass infested on the ground next to a smashed car window, but I have an idea! If I have to I'll take on that dark haired bastard on my own because Sakura, in fact no one, deserves that horrible treatment!"

Gaara couldn't help but to mentally agree with Temari. His sister sure had learned to hit his soft spots. "Alright, quit yelling! I'm making no promises but I won't sit by and let the asshole think he can slap her around in front of me." Temari let a soft smile fall across her lips, knowing that was the closest to saying he cared Gaara would get.


	4. Waking Up Without

**A/N: **Thank xDancing-tears-in-my-Eyesx for reminding me to update! I recently watched the first two episodes of Avatar: The Legend of Korra and Loved it! If anyone wants to talk about it PM me!

I awoke with a headache that made me want to roll to the edge of the bed I was lying in and puke. As I shifted, I realized this was not my bed and sat up quickly, bringing on a strong rush of pain to my already delicate head. I brought a hand up my head and felt bandages there. I was surprised only momentarily until I recalled what had happened. That still didn't solve anything though because I last recalled falling asleep in the bathroom. Shakily, I stood up and began crossing the room. I felt cold and looked down to see I was dressed in someone's long sleeved shirt and sweatpants.

That confused me and scared me, making me wonder if I wanted to leave this room and see whose place I was at. Cautiously, I slid the door open slowly to see Kankuro ducking as Temari, who was behind the counter with some kind of a food in a skillet in hand, chucked a spatula at him. Gaara was seated at the table glaring at them along with Shikamaru who stood up and made his way over to Temari before sliding his arms around her from behind and murmuring into her ear.

Breakfast. Sasuke. I'm so dead. I ripped open the door, bolting into the room and grabbing Gaara by the shoulder and shaking him. "Where are my clothes? I need to leave right now! What time is it? Never mind, I don't want to know!" I yelled before turning and dashing back to the room I had been sleeping in. I scanned it, seeing a dresser before running to it and ripping open every drawer searching. When I didn't find my clothes after what seemed like ages of searching I dropped to my knees, a sob escaping me. The fear I should have felt the night in the parking lot was back tenfold. _Wait, is it even the right day for the brunch?_

That was when I went into full hysterics, sobbing uncontrollably. Eventually, I cried myself out and my sobs died to hiccups. "Are you done yet?" I turned around to see Gaara calmly standing in the doorway with his arms crossed across his chest. He was looking at me with an expression I couldn't read, but at least it wasn't a glare anymore.

"I have to go...he's expecting me...I have to leave." Gaara shook his head at me before stepping into the room and heading towards me. That was the moment when I realized just how tall Gaara was and I subconsciously scooted further away from him. I think I saw hurt flash through his eyes, but that wasn't my main focus.

"Do you really want to go back with him?" Gaara crouched down as he spoke, making me somewhat more comfortable since he didn't tower over me anymore.

"I have to...he never means it." I knew I was lying when I said that, I didn't believe that Sasuke gave a damn about me. That didn't matter though, I would have rathered been by his side and been hurt than been alone. I was terrified of being left alone, something else I'd inherited from my mother.

"Listen, you're a day off anyways. We found you yesterday morning and after bringing you back here you slept into today. Stay with us for a little while to give Sasuke time to cool and give you time to get your head on straight." I almost believed Gaara was angry when he said that, but the softer look in his eyes mixed with the returning pull to him I'd felt returning made me hesitantly nod my head.

"But Sasuke doesn't cool off, he just gets madder."

"Then I'll deal with him, but right now you need somewhere safe to stay so you can heal. You're still in danger with all that head trauma." Gaara chided and I felt warmth wash over me quickly. Did he actually _care _what happened to me? That idea had become so foreign to me after Sasuke had cut off all connections between my real friends and I quickly after we had started dating. Naruto, Ino, and Hinata had been the very last ones I had been in contact with over a year and a half ago. The rest of the gang it had been probably around two years.

Gaara held out a hand to me and with a shaking arm I placed both my hands and trust in his hands, something that didn't scare me as much as it should have. He grinned at me and pulled me to my feet and then his expression turned serious. "But I swear on my life if you ever again raid my things I'll kill you." That threat somehow didn't scare me either. I gave him a sharp nod before he released my hands. "Alright, let's go see Temari. She'll have a change of clothes for you and then I'll talk to Sam, see if he'll let you do some waitressing while we play tonight so I can keep an eye on you."

Gaara POV

I don't know what it was about this girl, but ideas for helping her just came rushing into my mind and spilling out my mouth. I couldn't bring myself to regret them either. As I ushered her out of my room and into the kitchen I watched Temari's expression turn relieved when she saw my hand on Sakura's shoulder gently pushing her along. "Sakura is gonna stay with us for a little bit. Get her some clothes while I go ask Sam if she can waitress while we play so the bastard doesn't grab her while we're on stage."

Temari had a broad grin stretching across her face at that point and she shrugged out of Shikamaru's embrace to make her way over to Sakura. She brought a friendly arm around Sakura's shoulders and steered her towards her room. "When I'm done with you you're going to look like a model. You've already got natural beauty going for you with those green eyes! And that hair does not look dyed so I'm guessing it is a one of a kind phenomenon! Just a little concealor on those bruises, clean up those cuts some more with a hairstyle that will cover them and you'll be getting hundreds for tips..." Temari's voice faded as she closed her bedroom door after her.

Kankuro snorted, amused with how into dressing up the pinkette Temari had become. "I don't think you'll be getting her back for another couple hours." Kankuro laughed to me. I grunted, actually anticipating what Temari would do to Sakura's looks. While Temari had gotten a beautician degree she was surely going to put to use on Sakura, with her pushy attitude no one had wanted to hire her and those that had had to fire her soon after because she knew what was the best for the customer and did what she wanted. The dumb people thought they knew more than her, complained, and she was sent packing. That was how she had ended up back with Kankuro and I.

I turned and headed downstairs, entering the bar to see Sam behind the counter cleaning glasses and moving around different bottles. I myself had been sober for five years and I didn't plan on going back to the stuff. Maybe if Sakura agreed I could take her to one of my AA meetings since she seemed to be way too into getting drunk every night. At least the nights I'd seen her, and currently she was two for two which concerned me. _Concerned? This chick is getting to me._

"Sam!" I called out and he set down the glass he was working on, turning his attention to me.

"What can I do for you my boy?" Sam was an older guy in his lower 50's who had been bartending all his life. He owned the place and seemed to give a fatherly attitude to everyone other than his customers. He had to be the silent and obedient bartender for them.

"When you went out the other night for the midnight poker game and stayed the night we kinda ran into some or rather a complication. Do you recall a pink haired regular here?"

His face fell as soon as I said pink haired regular, looking extremely upset. "The little gal with long pink hair and always sportin' some kinda injury?"

I nodded, anger stirring in me to know Sasuke's beatings were regular and harsh. "That one. Temari and Kankuro went out to the car to bring in the extra amp before you were back and our passenger window was smashed. She was on the ground beside it with glass in her head. I think that so-called boyfriend or whatever smashed her head into the window with enough force to break it. I brought her inside and cleaned her up as well as bandaged her wounds, but right now she's staying with us. I don't trust that son of a bitch to not kill her if she went back. I was wondering if you could let her do waitressing without pay while we're playing so I can keep an eye on her."

His face darkened, but then brightened at my last sentence. "The lady caught yer attention boy? Well sure she can work down here, but I won't have her hauling around drinks if her head is still hurtin'. You best tell her that."

I gave Sam a smile. I'd met him down in a subway with the rest of the band when we were playing, just trying to get people to see us. Sam had stopped, offered us board, meals, and pay. Obviously we'd accepted and in the short time of knowing him he'd become more of a father to me than my father ever had been. "I really appreciate it Sam and I'll let her know." With a short wave turned and jogged back up to the apartment to find Shikamaru trying to salvage the eggs, Kankuro poking the ones on his plate like they'd jump out and eat him, and Sakura along with Temari still in her room.

I plopped down in the nearest chair, suddenly feeling exhausted from the past few days. That was when the door to Temari's room clicked open to reveal Temari whispering to Sakura. "Come on out. You look fine! The damn bruises don't matter!"

Sakura stepped out of the bedroom with her hair pulled up in an intricate updo wearing grey jogging shorts with a matching tank top. Though she looked great, what really caught my attention was how swollen her eye looked along with the bruise on her cheek and the matching hand print bruises up and down her arms and on her neck. Temari had changed her the day before so I didn't really get to see how badly Sasuke hurt her, but all those bruises stirred fury in me. Her pale white skin and thin body only made the offensive marks stand out more.

I stood up quickly and ground out, "Sam said she can waitress nights," before I stormed out of the apartment.

Third Person POV

Sakura turned her head down. "I told you I was ugly."

Temari turned to her, quick to destroy the girl's insecurities. "No, Gaara's just angry. He doesn't like seeing you so beat up."

She slowly lifted her gaze to look at me and asked the question we all feared answering. "Why does Gaara care about me being hurt? When I first talked to you guys he wouldn't even look at me."

Temari guided Sakura over to sit at the kitchen table before taking a seat beside her. "Well, Gaara and our father didn't get along when we were younger. Gaara couldn't hate him though because he loved and looked up to his dad so much. It isn't my business to tell you how things ended between the two, hopefully Gaara will tell you in time, but he sees himself in you. Scared, cornered, and unwilling to leave the person hurting them. No one stepped forward to help him and he doesn't want that to happen to you."

Sakura blinked, sadness washing over her. "I wish that hadn't happened to him, he's such a good person. Although it makes sense now how he was able to convince me so easily to stick around and how he understood. He knew exactly what he would have wanted to have said to him and he had been in my situation. Just, it was his dad who was his support and Sasuke is..."

"Using you?" Kankuro offered, looking at the pink haired girl with a sympathetic expression.

"Yeah."


	5. Hands Off

**A/N: **Another day, another chapter. I have never been this constant and prepared with a story. I'm so happy! Thank you guys and I hope you enjoy!

Kankuro called the car repair shop and told them he'd to bring the car down to get fixed after he retrieved the amp. Temari helped him and then they began setting up before the bar opened at eight. Gaara still hadn't returned and Sakura was slightly worried, but Temari distracted her by dressing her up for waitressing. Sakura was wearing a pair of fitting black jeans, a black off the shoulder top, and black heels with the traditional little apron that hung from her hips and tied around her waist to fit the employee dress code when the bar opened up that evening.

At first she struggled to keep up but quickly picked up on little tricks that made the job easier. She didn't even see Gaara enter the bar and climb on stage but hearing him sing immediately put her at ease and the night went by quickly.

At her last table were several young men looking all around twenty-two who definitely couldn't hold their alcohol well because two drinks in they were all babbling and dancing like idiots. When she was making her final trip to their table to give them their check since the band was waiting at their table to hang out, one of the men whipped out a hand smacked her on the ass loudly. At the sound the whole bar, which only had a few lingering people, fell quiet. One of the other men let out a wolf whistle. "C'mon baby, you've been flaunting it all night. Let me take that fine ass a yer's home wid me." he slurred.

Before Sakura could even decline Gaara flew from his seat and over to the table, grabbing both the man that had smacked her ass and the man that had made the comment by their collars. He lifted them off the ground and moved them to the nearest wall, slamming their backs against it. "You will keep your filthy hands and words away from her, you got me? If you don't I could use a lighter to burn the idea into your memory." Both men feverently shook their heads, terrified of the redhead. He dropped them with excessive force and when the men stood up he reeled back and punched the one who had smacked Sakura in the face.

He fell back to the ground, cursing, as Gaara then gave the same treatment to the other man. Then, with a furious glare, Gaara looked around and screamed at the men and their friends "Get your asses out of this fucking bar!" The two men scrambled out with their friends close behind and everyone else in the bar quickly paid before scurrying out.

Sakura was stunned, not at all expecting Gaara to come to her defense. With Sasuke, he would have been the one touching her inappropriately and making sleazy comments. She stared at Gaara before quietly saying, "Thank you."

Gaara turned to her, some of the fury still in his eyes, and commanded, "If someone every touches you or talks to you in a way you don't like, come to me and I'll deal with them."

She nodded the same warm feeling from earlier returning in a rush. Gaara reached out and put a protective arm around her waist pulling her along back to the table. "Anyways, as I was saying before I had to take care of those morons, we need to head out if we want to get to the stand on time." After saying that he turned to Sakura. "We're going to meet a friend of mine for dinner I think you'll like. He's an idiot, but he means well and is a firm believer in chivalry."

Sakura smiled, already liking the sound on Gaara's friend. Besides, whoever was friends with Gaara was fine with her. "He might be bringing his girlfriend." Temari added. With that the five of them headed out to the parking lot. "I'll take Shika and Kanky, Gaara you take Sakura. We'll meet you there." They split up, heading to the two different cars.

Gaara climbed into the driver's seat of his beaten Chevy truck and Sakura into the passenger seat. She stared at the window with a shiver, reliving two nights before momentarily. "Hey." Gaara called softly and she turned her focus on him. "He's not here, and I'll kick his ass if he shows up." Sakura smiled at him and they headed out, Sakura laughing as Temari sped past them and Kankuro was heard loudly screaming from the backseat.

"It sounds like I should be glad I got to ride with you." Gaara smirked and couldn't help but to agree. Temari had her license, but she must have been a huge flirt with her examiner because she was a horrible driver. No one wanted to ride with her except Shikamaru who somehow managed to sleep through rides with her.

Sakura reached out and began fiddling with the radio until she ended on a station playing Naked by Dev and Enrique Iglesias. Gaara raised an eyebrow at her, glancing sideways. She simply replied with a shrug. "My music taste is all over. Besides, if you listen to the lyrics they are actually pretty good." The rest of the ride was filled with only the radio as Sakura put down her window and held her arm out it, letting the wind sway her arm back and forth which amused Gaara.

When they pulled up to a familiar looking shop Sakura gasped. "No way!" Sakura let out a wistful sigh as she climbed out the car. They walked over to the stall together, Sakura commenting on how it still looked the same a year later. The last thing she was expecting to see was Naruto sitting on the Ichiraku stool with Hinata by his side, chatting with Temari and Kankuro.

"Naruto!" Naruto turned around at the mention of his name, his eyes widening at the sight of his pink haired friend standing there. He leapt off his stool and Sakura sprinted over to him, throwing her arms around his neck. He in return wrapped his arms around her waist and lifted her off the ground before swinging her around in several circles. When he finally put her down there were tears in his eyes as he spoke.

"I thought I'd never see you again after that night Saku!" Sakura smiled at him, slowly stepping out of his embrace to run around him and grab Hinata in a hug. The two girls squealed in excitement while Gaara, Kankuro, Temari, and Shikamaru who had been woken by the girlish screams stared in confusion. When Sakura finally let Hinata go she turned to Gaara with a huge grin.

"Why didn't you tell me you knew Naruto? I thought I'd never see him again!"

Gaara scratched the back of his head, confused still. "I didn't know you knew him." Then he grabbed Sakura and set her down in the stool beside the one Naruto had occupied before sitting on her other side. "But now that we're all here we should catch up."

Everyone made their orders, making small talk, but after the meals had been eaten the more serious subjects arose. As Naruto pushed away his fourth bowl of ramen he turned a serious expression on Sakura. "Saku, please tell me you left Sasuke and are happily dating Gaara now."

Sakura dropped her gaze when Naruto said that, feeling the disappointment Naruto was going to feel in her even before she replied. "No, I stayed with him. But recently there was an incident and Gaara as well as his siblings were there to help me out. They've graciously allowed me to stay with them until I figure things out."

Naruto narrows his eyes, staring at her. "What do you mean there was an incident?"

"The dickhead thought it would be a good idea to smash her head through a car window. We found her out cold on the cement bleeding with glass in head. We cleaned her up and convinced her to stay with us for at the very least a couple days."

Upon hearing Gaara's explanation Naruto slammed his hands down on the table, his expression furious. "Dammit Sakura! I told you to get out of there! I knew something was off with him since he came back from working for Orochimaru! Then you up and disappeared after that night at the party where he was pushing you around and calling you a cheap whore and I was so scared of what had happened! Didn't you think that maybe if he was that controlling early on things could go downhill?"

Gaara saw the hurt expression on Sakura's face and quickly jumped to Sakura's defense. "Why don't you stop yelling at her and try to understand? I may not know exactly what kept her with that bastard, but I do know it must have been something big. Possibly a fear, threat, or something. It doesn't matter. What does matter is she's away from him and instead of treating her just like he did we should help her!"

Naruto let his fists slip back to flat palms as he stared at Gaara before turning his gaze to the table. "You're right, I'm sorry Sakura." Sakura simply shrugged, muttering about it being alright.

"Sakura is going to stay with my siblings and I until she's back on her feet but I have absolutely no intentions of letting her go back to Sasuke." Gaara grabbed an ordering pad and pen off the counter and scribbled down their address before ripping the sheet of paper off the pad and pushing it to Naruto. "We're living here because the bar owner gave us board as part of our pay for playing for him every night. Drop by any time."

Naruto nodded and a sheepish grin came to his face. "I want to thank you for helping Sakura-chan, Gaara. I feel horrible that I wasn't there for her when she needed me and I'm so glad you could be her knight."

Gaara's face scrunched up at the last comment in what, to Sakura, was a cute expression but she would never admit it. "I'm no knight, just a guy who hates abusive assholes."

Naruto gasped out between laughs, "Good enough for me!"


	6. AA Stands For Achieved Ambition

**A/N: I know this is long but please read! **Never doubt my amount of random knowledge and experiences. I have actually been to an AA meeting for my father (Though he should, he doesn't go anymore so I doubt I'll get to experience it again). It was scary as hell sitting by and listening to how the need for a drink somedays ruled their whole life and made me realize how difficult it is to be a recovering alcoholic. Anyways, there's a random thing I've done that helps me in my writing though that wasn't my original reason for going. (1) This is a reference from the anonymous reviewer Sakura's review on my second chapter. (**4.11.12. **Creepy enough, the day I put the finishing touches on this chapter my father finally went to an AA meeting. I'm proud of him.) Also, in response to a review, this story is probably going to end up being 10-12 chapters unless I can't wrap it up in that in which case it will be longer.

My hands were sweating as I entered the building while Gaara held the door open for me. Not only had he refused to let me put make up on my bruises, I had never been to one of these and it was scary enough acknowledging the fact I had an issue never mind telling it to a group of people. I at least found some comfort in the fact that everyone else there had the same problem and Gaara had been trying to explain to me that sharing an issue and leaning on other who had it made it easier to overtake.

He hadn't yet told me what made him resort to the bottle, but I was going to be patient. As we took seats next to each other in the circle of plastic fold up chairs. I studied at every person who walked through the door and none of them were anything like me or Gaara. The first one to walk through was a man who looked to be in his late fifties or early sixties. He had a thick white mustache and matching beard with bald head wearing a red t-shirt, the combination almost making me laugh but I decided not to start off badly.

He took the seat next to Gaara, shaking hands with Gaara and starting to chat. Following the older man was a young girl who looked around nineteen or twenty. She was thick amount of makeup as well as baggy dark colored clothes. Her hair had red streaks throughout it and was pulled back into a loose ponytail that reached halfway down her baggy mesh shirt worn over a black tank top. The chains on her cargo pants clinked as she walked and I couldn't help but see her as what I could have turned out to look like with my random style had Sasuke not been so strict with my appearance.

After her came walking in a pair of guys looking to be in their high twenties causing me to subconsciously lean closer to Gaara but very consciously grab his hand. They were both dressed in polos and khaki pants with dress shoes tied to their feet. They looked like clean-cut gentlemen, but I had definitely figured out appearances meant nothing. The sat across from us and girl, who had been milling around a table set to the side where donuts and coffee were displayed, made her way over to us and sat to my right.

Next, and finally, a rather heavyset woman looking to me in her late thirties to mid forties came walking in with her light blonde hair worn down and her t-shirt advertising an environmental cause that went well with her worn jeans. She took a seat between the young girl and men.

The older man clapped his hands together and smiles, his round belly, beard, and red clothing making him remind me of Santa Claus, a figure that hadn't existed in my childhood. "Let's get started with our newest member, shall we?" His voice was loud and booming, but gentle at the same time.

All eyes turned to me and I gripped Gaara's hand tighter. "My name is Sakura Haruno and I am an alcoholic."

"Hello Sakura." There was a pause after that since I had no idea what to say next. The old man had obviously figured that out because he jumped in.

"We'll all introduce ourselves and then we'll ask you some questions." I nodded and he started. "I'm Allen, but everyone calls me Al."

The girl went next, sticking out her hand to me with a friendly smile. "I'm Christina. I love your hair." Absently my empty hand went up to grasp at the edges of my long pink hair. I returned her smile shyly and next the two men went.

"I'm James."

"I'm Edward."

I nodded towards both of them before the woman spoke. "My name is Katherine. We're happy to have you here sweetheart." If she hadn't had such a kind look to her that comment would have pissed me off.

"Alright," Al boomed, "now we're going to ask you some questions about why you started drinking to help put things in the open. We're all a family here and we want to help you out. I'll be starting. Why did you start drinking?"

I began twisting my hair in my fingers, nervous. "My...um...I guess he was like a boyfriend."

Christina then asked, "What about your boyfriend made you want to drink?"

"He...uh...he hit me."

I heard a low growl from my left and Gaara snarled, "He did more than hit her, he smashed her fucking head through a car window and I doubt that's even the worst."  
I had to bow my head at that, not able to argue against it. Christina gasped and put a hand on my arm. "That is so horrible! I hope that asshole die's in a hole!" (1)

I laughed when she said that, silently agreeing with her. Next, Katherine spoke. "And what did drinking do for you to help deal with him?"

"Honestly I would get so hammered I couldn't remember anything. I'd wake up the next day and try to convince myself that the bruises and injuries were from my clumsiness but I never really believed it."

James asked the most surprising question. "Can we see some of the injuries since you talk about it like it was pretty recent?"

I shakily parted my hair to reveal the scabbing cuts on my scalp while pushing my hair away from my cheek. I heard several gasps but I was far from done. I rolled up the pant legs on my sweats to reveal the torn up skin from skidding on the sidewalk. Next, I pulled up my sleeves and lowered my neckline to reveal the bruises. I knew the places I was showing them had old scars too and waited with baited breath for their reactions.

Christina was immediate, "That fucking bastard!"

Katherine followed rather quickly with what sounded like tears in her voice, "That is just so awful."

Al added to their comments. "Little missy if you ever need a helping hand, which I doubt you will with Gaara watching over you, you can call me up and I'll be there."

James and Edward spoke quietly to one another before Edward announced, "My sister had that happen to her but it never got that bad. Did he really do all that?"

I nodded, feeling lighter and the need to explain. "The arm and leg bruises are from the first night I met Gaara because he was mad at me for hanging out with strange guys. The head and leg cuts are from the parking lot where he punched me, which is where I got the cheek bruise, and then put my head through a car window. The scars are from hundreds of other occurrences."

Everyone nodded solemnly and James piped up, "What made you stay with him?"

There we were again in the uncharted territory I didn't want to enter. "Growing up I only had my mom, dad had run off sometime before I was three. She always had boyfriends coming through our apartment and when I was nineteen she got into a relationship with a man who hit her, Jake. He dumped her but she refused to think that was a good thing, having convinced herself being with him was better than being alone she went to his house to get him to take her back. He was drunk, he had a gun, he shot her. I had two older siblings, a brother fresh into college and a sister just out but they wanted nothing to do with me because they wanted to forget our twisted family. I guess that implanted the idea in my brain that being alone is the worst thing possible if you'd risk death to evade it. Sasuke was my Jake."

Next Edward asked a question. "How long have you been sober for?"

"I think it's been, what, a day or two?" Gaara nodded and I smiled.

Finally Al wrapped things up. "And what made you want to come to this meeting today?"

"Gaara convinced me it was best to lean on other people with the same problem to help deal with this." I admitted sheepishly.

Next, they all started explaining to me why they had started drinking. Al's was, as usual, the first to go. "My wife died of breast cancer and I became depressed. I started drinking to numb everything. One day I drank myself into the hospital and I swear I saw my wife by my bedside. She told me to live and be happy 'cause she couldn't anymore. Since then I been sober so around seventeen years."

Christina's was actually rather calm. "I started partying a lot in high school and the stuff was just fun. After that though, I was basically dependant on it to have fun so a friend sent me here. Sober a year."

Edward and James looked at each other before James spoke for them both. "We had a friend back in high school. He was a real good friend and we were both drinking buddies with him. We all ended up in the same college and he ended up drinking himself to death. We both kina feared drinking after that and wound up here. Bother sober for eight years."

Katherine went last, seeming to pause to gather her thoughts before speaking. "I had a son and like James and Edwards's friend he went to a party in high school and drank himself to death. I started drinking and eventually decided to drink myself to seeing him again. Wound up in the hospital before I realized my boy wouldn't have wanted me to be doing that. I've been sober for three years." After that we all shared drinking stories, stories about good times without alcohol, and just basked in each others' strength.


	7. Piggyback Rides and Flying Fists

**A/N: **If anyone knows of any fan art that relates to any of my stories, please send me a link since inspiration is always welcome and I was browsing through fan art today. Also, as pointed out by IridescentInTheDark the last chapter was kind of filler, but kind of not. It did three things. First, helped my writing skills. I have a tendency to write stories that only revolve around one character, one time, and one place so I'm trying to expand the 'setting' I guess. If that makes no sense, ignore my insanity. Second, I found Sakura's alcohol recovery important because her alcoholism got her into the bar where she met Gaara and also I feel she needs more support around her with her being away from her friends. Third, I wanted to further the relationship between Gaara and Sakura. I think it shows he really cares for her when he wants to help her conquer her addiction. From experience I know that some people when you ask them for the responsibility of just giving you a shoulder to cry on they get scared and ditch you which sucks. It's extremely hard to find someone who will dedicate themself to selflessly being there for you. I'm done now! This chapter is short, but it is supposed to be that way.

Sakura was laughing at Gaara's imitation of Al when they climbed out of his truck. Gaara was staring at her with a stern expression as he said, "Now little miss, if that damn pickle jar ever gives you a problem you just call me up and I'll open it for ya!" Sakura's laughter was cut short at the sight of a tall dark-haired figure standing in only a few feet in front of her with his arms crossed across his chest and a furious expression on his face.

"Hello Sakura. You seemed to have not heard my kind invitation to brunch because I was embarrassed in front of my parents when my girlfriend stood me up. How do you think it made me look? I looked like a damned fool!" He was yelling by the time he was done still keeping his tensely calm posture.

"You've got guts showing up here, I'll give you that. I'm also going to give you a nice hospital stay." Gaara announced as he stepped forward between Sakura and Sasuke.

Sasuke gave Gaara an infuriatingly confident smirk and took a step closer to Sakura and him. "That won't be necessary because I'm just going to take Sakura and we're going to leave."

Gaara glared at him and yelled incredulously, "You really think I'm letting her go anywhere with you?" Sasuke scoffed and then smiled.

"You won't have a choice." He was attacking Gaara immediately after finishing his sentence, throwing punches and kicks at Gaara in fast combinations. The red head at a short span of a second or two between attacks to ready himself for the next. He, after receiving a couple hits from Sasuke, moved onto offensive and began pushing Sasuke back away from Sakura with his hit and kicks. He managed to catch Sasuke off guard and kicked the dark haired man's legs out from under him. Sasuke hit the ground with a whoosh of air and Gaara was on him quickly. He grabbed Sasuke by his shirt collar and pulled his head upwards.

"You listen to me you overconfident dick. Sakura isn't interested in you anymore." Sasuke smirked at him, startling Gaara with his confident appearance in a losing position.

"That's where you're wrong." Sasuke kicked his legs upwards flipping Gaara over him and onto the hard cement. He then swiveled up into a standing position and while Gaara was still stunned he delivered a harsh kick to Gaara's head that elicited a pained grunt from the red haired man. Sakura had been standing back in fear before then but upon seeing the man who had saved her life get attacked she snapped. She flew at Sasuke, leaping up on his back and wrapping her arms around his throat.

"Stop it!" she screeched and Sasuke's hands flew up to his throat to try and tear away Sakura's arms. When he was unable to remove her iron grip he chose to throw himself backwards so all his weight came down onto her when she hit the ground backwards. It brought a cry of pain from her that got Gaara on his feet faster than he'd ever moved before. He saw the blood pooling behind Sakura's head and saw Sasuke crawling away from her coughing and he could only see red. He went at Sasuke and unleashed all the anger he felt in an onslaught of vicious and merciless hits.

When he tired out, his breath labored and limbs sore, he stepped back to see Sasuke's right arm looked severely mangled and hit right kneecap also looked out of place along with uncountable cuts and forming bruises. Gaara stumbled over to Sakura, the dizziness and fog in his mind slowing him down. He slid his hands under her knees and neck. He lifted her, wincing when she screamed, and headed towards the bar. It seemed to take years but he got inside, situated Sakura on a bar stool, and headed upstairs for the medical kit.

When he came back and parted her hair he was relieved to see there weren't any new wounds, just the old ones from the car window had reopened. He quickly pressed one of the rags on the bar to the wounds to stop the bleeding as he dug through the kit for bandages with his spare hand. He stopped the bleeding and wrapped her head before gathering her in his arms, not caring about leaving a bloody rag and medical kit on the counter, and climbed up to the apartment heading straight for his room. When he got there he set Sakura down on his bed and too exhausted to walk another step he dropped down beside her with a sigh.


	8. Demons In The Shallow End

**A/N: **This is another kinda-filler-but-not-really-because-of-the-already-three-listed-reasons and it leads up to important things. Also, thank you IridescentInTheDark, I fixed the first person POV sentence since that was a last minute add in and I completely forgot I wan't doing a first person POV. I'll be picking through my story for other errors. If anyone wants to beta me, **PLEASE **pm me because it's obvious I need one. Also, if you see any mistakes, point them out to me please! I hate to look back and see I forced you guys to read an error. Last thing, the plot bunny I running wild in my head, but those who read Call My Name I promise I am working on it! Enjoy!

I awoke to the flash of a camera and the sound of giggling. I tried to sit up but found an arm tightly, but not uncomfortably wrapped around my waist. I opened my eyes and turned my head to see Gaara's front molded against my back and his arm around my waist. I stared groggily at him before craning my next to see over his muscular body. There, with camera, stood Temari and Kankuro giggling and snapping pictures.

"You guys!" I yelled and Gaara jumped, the movement causing him to roll out of bed and fall to the floor.

"What the hell is going on?" he growled, looking up to see Temari and Kankuro. Immediately the two bolted from the room and Gaara was close behind screaming curses at the two of them. "Give me the fucking camera and I'll kill you quickly!" Sakura smiled as she listened to the sounds of things falling and smashing mingled with high pitched screams from Temari and Kankuro. She, lying there, had to admit to herself sleeping with, only **sleeping **being what they did, Gaara had made her feel safer which was unusual since had no matter where she went she never felt safe from Sasuke. With Gaara beside her the idea of Sasuke showing up at the apartment or even breaking in was pushed from her mind.

Sure the idea of Sasuke breaking into the apartment was stupid and irrational, but most of her fears were. Like her fear of water. The other day before the AA meeting she had told Gaara about it when they had talked about the possibility of the band getting a beach gig.

_Flashback_

_Sakura was seated at the kitchen table dressed in her red stripped pajama top, red polka dot pajama pants, and fuzzy cow slippers all donated to her things to wear by Temari. Gaara had walked into the room and chuckled, clearly amused by the childish slippers. Or the fact that she was jamming Lucky Charms into her mouth._

_"Mornin'." she mumbled through her cereal. He took a seat across from her, pushing a flyer across the table. She set her spoon in her cereal bowl and picked the paper up._

_"Beach Band Battle. Come one, come all, prize is $500?" she read from the flyer. She passed it back to Gaara, her nose scrunching up in thought. "You guys should go to that."_

_"What about you?" Gaara asked, amused by her dumb looking expression._

_"I don't like the beach." she replied nonchalantly as she began to stir her cereal._

_"And why the hell not? Warm weather, cool waves, and hot chicks."_

_Sakura burst out laughing at the last part. "You're starting to sound like Kankuro. And for your information, I'm absolutely terrified of water. There. I said it."_

_Gaara's eyebrows, though small, rose and he scoffed. "The big, bad Sakura is afraid of water? She can deal with a psychotic boyfriend, she can deal with being cut off from all her friends, and she can deal with living with Kankuro-"_

_"I'm not that bad!" Kankuro interjected._

_"-but she's afraid of water?"_

_"Let's just say Sasuke is the reason I'm afraid of water." And that was where they left it._

_End Flashback_

With Sasuke it was sit down, shut up, and be my bitch. With Gaara she could do what she wanted, could freely say her opinion, and was never required to do anything for him. She really needed to stop comparing the two, but she just couldn't get over the huge differences between the two. She was pulled from her thoughts when an annoyed looking Gaara came walking into the room.

"Get dressed?"

"Why?" _That would have earned a slap._

"I'm taking you somewhere."

"What if I don't want to go?" _That would have brought on a couple kicks to the ribs._

"Your loss I guess, this is gonna be fun."

"Okay, what do I need to wear?" _But this was Gaara, not Sasuke._

"Go talk to Temari; she'll get you dressed in the right stuff. Meet me at the car."

Sakura nodded and crawled out of bed, pausing only to stretch on her way to Temari's room. Upon entering she was concerned by the lack of cloth the clothing being displayed had.

When she arrived down at the car, wearing a baggy black sweatshirt she had stolen from Gaara's dresser over her clothes, she scowled at the red-haired man. "Three things. First, this better be good. Second, you're so lucky it's warm today. Third, I'm going to look ridiculous dressed like this with all my injuries."

"Four things. First, this is going to be better than good it'll be amazing. Seconds, you're fine so don't whine because I wouldn't let you freeze your pretty little ass off. Third, you look fine. Fourth, is that my sweatshirt?" Sakura smiled, having missed Gaara's charmingly rude and witty remarks since he had been needing to use his softer side with all the bad shit happening.

"Your clothes are warm." That earned her a curse.

They drove for a while, Gaara leaning his head on his fist with his arm propped up on the car door while Sakura leaned her right arm out the window swinging it around. Sakura had attempted to turn the radio on but had gotten no signal so had taken it upon herself to provide entertainment so she started singing random song after song. Gaara snorted before commenting, "I thought you were cold." She replied with a giggle in between words and kept up her actions with more twirls of her hand. He scoffed and the drive continued with Sakura singing some Kelly Clarkson song before a Finger Eleven song.

When they pulled up Sakura stated, "I've changed my mind, I'm too scared. I'm a big fat chicken, let's go home." Gaara rolled his eyes and walked around to her side of the car opening up her door to stare at the pink haired girl with her knees pulled up to her chest with her arms tucked behind them against her chest. It only made her look more ridiculously small especially in the baggy black sweatshirt with the hood up.

"Come on shorty, this is going to take a while so I don't have time for you getting cold feet. He reached around her and unbuckled her seatbelt with her struggling the whole time. After that he grabbed her, an easy task with her being in the ball she had curled herself into. She screeched with giggles in between and Gaara had to wonder how he put up with her insaneness. He carried her in the building and paused at the front desk, Sakura in his arms, to pay for two adult day passes. Once he had done that he pushed open the door to the outside with his back and then set Sakura down on the ground.

She took one look at the obstacle before her and attempted to bolt back into the building so she could go the car but was stopped by a tall, and suddenly somehow shirtless, redhead. "Sakura, you'll have to do this one time or another. I'd prefer you do it with me so you don't drown yourself." She had her arms defensively wrapped around herself in an obviously self-conscious action.

The pinkette sighed before walking over to the nearest reclined chair and pulling off Gaara's sweatshirt with a hesitation Gaara noticed. He was rather pleased to see she wore the black bikini with white stripes and neon yellow ties on the top and each side of the bottom along with a neon yellow swim cap she had to wear because her head wounds had been recently re-opened. He went over to her, only pausing momentarily to be distracted by her nice figure and gorgeous skin, dropping his shirt on the chair and kicking off his shoes, and then grabbed her hand and walked towards the pool. They went to the shallow end and Gaara stepped backwards onto the first step gripping both Sakura's hands in his at that point since on the way there Sakura had grabbed his other one. She stared at the water with a skeptical glance before shuffling forward.

Gaara descended backwards several more steps until he was stretching his arms to keep them linked with Sakura's. "But I think there are demons living in the shalow end waiting to gnaw my toes off."

"Sakura," he warned and she sighed before cautiously dipping her right big toe into the water. Then, slowly, she stepped onto the first step and shivered despite the water being warm. Gaara coaxed her forward until she was up to her knees in water on the third steps while he was on the pool floor with the water up to his waist. She shivered again and moved closer to Gaara taking things a step at a time until she was finally standing right in front of the red head on the pool floor.

"Good. Next we work on the actual swimming." Sakura gave him a shaky nod and he instructed her. "Lift your feet off the ground and kick your legs. We'll work on incorporating your arms later since right now you need to hold onto me." She did as he told her and let her legs float up slightly before beginning to kick her legs despite them still being sore. He smiled at her and congratulated her. "Great, great. Keep kicking." She returned the smile as she began to relax and her anxiety faded.

Next he, instead of walking in front of her, began swimming along with her swimming with him, their hands still connected. They remained like that for the next hour with Gaara swimming around and Sakura trailing along with him. Eventually they climbed out of the pool and head back to their chairs, Sakura self-consciously covering herself again. Gaara sighed before saying, "I'm going to go inside and buy some drinks. Stay here." After that he headed inside and made his way over to the snack bar.


	9. Sinking Equals Xray

**A/N: **This one is definitely not a filler. It will be important. **IMPORTANT: Sorry I didn't update. Things got messed up with me and basically I'll be going back to physical therapy which scares me because it's for my back which means showing skin to get examined which means visible scars! AH! Anyways, thanks for the constant support and enjoy the double upload! **

Gaara walked back out to the pool, holding two orange sodas in his hands. He walked back over to where his and Sakura's stuff was to find her gone. He looked around frantically when a crowd of people standing around the edge of the pool closest to him caught his eyes. He dropped the drinks and sprinted over to the crowd and looked in the water to see a young boy trying to pull Sakura up from their position on the bottom of the pool.

Gaara immediately dove into the water and after wrapping his arm around Sakura's waist he grabbed the kid by his arm and pulled them both to the surface. He shoved the kid towards the deck before swimming to the nearest ladder and pulling her out of the water with him. He quickly laid her out on the ground and began chest compressions since he had noticed while rescuing her that she wasn't breathing.

His hands were on her chest at lightning speed and he began the compressions, counting thirty before pressing his mouth to hers and breathing air into hers. He continued the compressions, his mind going into overdrive, before he gave her mouth to mouth again. He had only given her the first breath when she began coughing and he moved her onto her side just to be careful. When she was done he let out a long breath and turned his glare on the crowd. "What the fuck happened?"

The boy from earlier stepped forward and began fiddling with his hands. "I was playing with my friends and I ran into her. After she fell in she just wouldn't come back up so I tried to save her!"

"Save her? You nearly killed her! She can't swim! I should-" he stopped yelling when he felt a slender hand on his arm. He turned around to see Sakura smiling up at him with an exhausted expression.

"I'm alright. He didn't mean it." Gaara snorted in frustration and began checking her over to make sure she was fine. That was when the wail of an ambulance was heard and Gaara looked back up.

One of the mothers in the crowd announced, "I thought she wasn't going to make it so I called an ambulance." Gaara nodded, holding back a sharp retort at the first part.

"Good." Gaara pulled Sakura into his arms and stood up. He went over to their stuff and while holding Sakura up with one hand he threw their clothes and towels over his shoulder and put his shoes on. He also grabbed Sakura's shoes before turned on his heel and leaving the pool to meet the ambulance out front. He rushed, noticing how tired Sakura looked lying there in his arms. He met the paramedics out front and hesitated momentarily before handing her to a brown haired male. He placed her on a gurney before having the blond female help him lift her into the ambulance with Gaara climbing in behind them.

They slammed the doors and took off with Gaara spewing out the details to the paramedics. "We went to the pool because I was teaching her how to swim. I went to get drinks and apparently she got knocked into the pool by a little boy. I got there and the kid was trying to bring her up from the bottom of the pool. I got her on the deck and started reviving her. I got through two sets of chest compression and was working on the first breath of the second set of breaths when she came to, coughing. I met you guys out front after that."

The brown haired man nodded before taking Sakura's life sign; pulse, temperature, respiration, all the regular things. Gaara could only watch and feel an overwhelming sense of guilt for taking her swimming. Sakura seemed to sense his unease because she reached out a hand and placed it on the ones of his nearest to her.

He smiled to her and they drove off towards the hospital with the sirens wailing like Gaara was inside.

When they arrived Sakura was rushed to a room to be checked over by a doctor and Gaara held her hand as they moved her around and her hand remained firmly in his even when they were settled in a room. Once the paramedics left he began his apology. "Sakura, I'm so sor-"

"Gaara, it wasn't your fault. It's like me blaming myself for Sasuke hitting me, ridiculous and wrong." Gaara had to grin at her analogy since it was a damn good one. He was about to reply to her when a tall and busty blonde woman came walking in before closing the door behind her. She took a seat on the nearest rolling stool and flipped open a file that had Sakura's picture inside, but that was all Sakura could see.

"Sakura Haruno, age 22, born on March 18th 1990, 5'4, has only two previous visits which one was for a broken arm and the other for a concussion." Sakura blinked at all the information being read off about herself. She managed to nod after several seconds of silence and the doctor continued. "My name is Dr. Tsunade and I'll be checking you over today. I learned from the call you were brought in because you were knocked into a pool and were not resurfacing. A paramedic told me you had to be revived by your friend here and now you're here, but that isn't the only issue I see."

Sakura immediately knew what Dr. Tsunade was talking about and her pale fingers went up to her neck where the bruise marks were still fading. "Ma'am, that isn't the reason for my visit."

"I know that, but I will not just watch an obvious abuse victim waltz out of here without helping them. Now you tell me who did this to you and Mr. Talk Dark and Brooding can leave if you need him to." It took Sakura a moment to catch the implication for Dr. Tsunade's words but protested it immediately.

"Gaara never laid a hand on me! In fact he was the one who helped me get away from Sasuke!"

"Uchiha?" Dr. Tsunade replied with a raised eyebrow.

"The very bastard." Gaara hissed subconsciously gripping Sakura's hand tighter, but not in a painful way. Never.

Dr. Tsunade sighed and brought a hand up to her forehead. "I want to help you, believe me, but with a big name like that you need solid evidence and not just a testimony."

Gaara glared at her before exclaiming, "Are you proposing we let him beat the shit out of her but with a camera watching so we can nab the bastard? With how pissed he was about her leaving, I wouldn't put it past him to kill her!"

Dr. Tsunade immediately rebutted, "Of course not! But we need proof and while I can get some x-rays today to have documentation of old injuries I'm certain she has that were not treated, the defendants attorney will surely claim Sakura is out of her right mind and injured herself."

Gaara growled and Sakura put her unoccupied hand on his shoulder. "It's not her fault. Let's just get the x-rays and go home. If we ever can catch him legally, we'll come back for the x-rays." Gaara remained silent after that. What was there to say?


	10. Pageant Girl

**A/N: **The promised second update! Also, I wanted to remind you all this story is probably gonna wrap up soon unless people say they want more (via review or PM) cause right now things are planned out.

I stared at Gaara with my slack jaw and managed to ask, "Are you fucking mental?" He simply smiled at my foul language and shruged provoking me to continue. "You want me to get up on in stage, in front of a crowd of drunken assholes, and sing? Are. You. Fucking. Mental?"

He shook his head and chuckles. "I was mental for letting you into my house, but I am not being mental right now."

I leaned back in my chair and put my feet up against the legs of the table pushing myself back away from it. "I can't sing. No, let me rephrase that. I have an alright voice from when I used to do beauty pageants and that was always my talent bu-"

"**You **did pageants? Did you woo the judges with your charming language and lovely glare?"

"Hey pal, you're the first person to give me the guts to curse and glare. Before you I was terrified to speak, so you can thank yourself for my ladylike behavior."

"Touché. Anyways, pick a song and sing it. Just come up on stage with me and sing a song or two and then go back to waitressing. Guys want a hot chick up on stage."

"And my main goal is to turn on horny drunk guys while slinking around a stage like a pro hooker since when?"

"I never said you had to turn on anyone. But if you're offering..." This was the Gaara that made me laugh. The Gaara that I could mouth off to and let out steam on without getting hit for it or being hated. Certainly none of my friends, or at least the drinking ones, had appreciated my sharp tongue.

"Only in your dreams. I doubt even there though because when I'm imaginary, I'll still turn you down." Gaara smirked at me and I couldn't help but return the gesture. He continued to stare at me with that devilish smirk and I had to give in while throwing my hands up in surrender. "Fine! Fine! I'll have Temari doll me up and then I'll do a set or two and be on my way. Happy?" The widening of his smirk told me yes.

When I got downstairs and made my way up onto the stage, I could feel Gaara's eyes on me and looked up to see him smirking. I blushed a deep red, something I hadn't done since high school, and shooed him with her right hand to tell him to get back to work setting up and tuning his guitar. When the time came for her to make her way to the mic she took a deep breath before stepping up and smiling.

"Hello. I'm Sakura and I'll be doing some singing tonight. If you know the words to this next song, please sing along."

_'I wanted you to know I love the way you laugh_  
_I wanna hold you high and steal your pain away_  
_I keep your photograph, I know it serves me well_  
_I wanna hold you high and steal your pain'_

She had to turn to smile at Gaara through her words, knowing he understood the look she gave him. This song was for that red haired idiot. Gaara stood back watching his favorite pink haired girl sing her heart out. While her voice wasn't perfect, especially on some of the lower notes because of her naturally high voice, she had a strong voice that reminded him of a cross between Christina Aguilara and Kelly Clarkson. Strong and able to hit insane notes, but also able to soften and bring in the deep emotion of a song.

_' 'Cause I'm broken when I'm lonesome_  
_And I don't feel right when you're gone away_

_You're gone away_

_The worst is over now and we can breathe again_  
_I wanna hold you high, you steal my pain away_  
_There's so much left to learn, and no one left to fight_  
_I wanna hold you high and steal your pain_

_'Cause I'm broken when I'm open_  
_And I don't feel like I am strong enough_  
_'Cause I'm broken when I'm lonesome_  
_And I don't feel right when you're gone away_

_'Cause I'm broken when I'm open_  
_And I don't feel like I am strong enough_  
_'Cause I'm broken when I'm lonesome_  
_And I don't feel right when you're gone away_

_You're gone away_  
_You don't feel me here anymore'_

"Thank You all for having me tonight!" She was about to step off stage when she heard cheers on encore but they only really caught her attention when Gaara joined in. She stared dumbly at the red head for several moments; shocked he wanted her to continue since her singing voice had been something she'd always been teased for. Eventually she took the challenge returned to the mic and began singing one of her other favorites, Family Portrait by P!nk.

_'Mama please stop crying_

_I can't stand the sound...'_


	11. Clubbing for Love

**A/N: **Again I apologize! My brother decided I was worthless yesterday and made an attempt to throw me out of the house which ended in a fist fight that left me in not so great condition. I'm chilling with some ice right now though so I'm feeling better. I won't be double updating this time though because the next chapter is the last one so I wanted some suspense, y'know? Another plot bunny started mauling my head though so we'll see what happens after this story. Plus, the ending is kinda weird for this chapter but I'm a big old sap at heart so enjoy!

We entered the club together but quickly broke apart into small groups. Temari grabbed Shikamaru's hand and dragged him off into the crowd presumably to dance. Kankuro caught sight of a tall blond walking by and quickly tailed behind her spurting out pick up lines and compliments. That left Sakura, who was laughing at Kankuro's idiotic behavior, and I standing at the entrance. I took her hand after pausing to admire her dress that hugged her body and tightened my pants and lead her to the bar where I ordered two waters. I smirked at her as we waited and returned the gesture nervously. I didn't know then, but never before had she stepped foot in a club so she was anxious.

She gulped down her water quickly as soon as it was placed down on the counter while I chose to sip mine slowly. Once she placed her empty glass down she snatched up my hand and dragged me to the dance floor before pressing her back against my front and beginning to sensually sway from side to side. I let out a low growl, enjoying dancing for the first time in my life, before taking control of the dance by placing my hands on her hips and moving her. I saw the smile form on her lips as her movements became more vigorous and I upped my speed to match hers. We continued like that for four more songs before my pants were too uncomfortable and I excused myself to the bathroom after leaving Sakura at the bar under the watch of the bartender.

For only a twenty, the guy seemed to get a meaner look in his eye and promised to watch Sakura. When I arrived I pushed past a couple ravishing each other and headed to the closest sink where I turned on the faucet and watched as it filled up the sink. I then splashed the cool water on my face and leaned forward with my hands braced against the sink and head bowed. I was really at a club, with Sakura, dancing with Sakura, smiling with Sakura, and being _happy _with Sakura. She seemed like a common factor in all my good thoughts but I didn't mind.

I had grown accustomed to her takeover of my mind and was actually pleased with her presence. After I had relaxed, it being difficult with the heated interaction close by, I looked up at my reflection and everything about my face seemed lighter. I remember the first night I'd met the pink haired girl that drove my life nowadays, how absolutely furious I'd been about her submissive behavior. Then I remembered how none of it had been directed at her, yet at the man that made her like that. I had been surprised with how easily I'd admitted to myself Sakura had become an important aspect in my life and how important she was to me. I was able to admit I'd kill any bastard that interfered with her beautiful smiled and I was able to admit she was **beautiful** which was huge after seeing all women as nuisance's or bitches.

When I exited the bathroom I headed back to the bar to visit my favorite girl and was struck with fear when I didn't see her. Quickly my gaze moved around the bar picking through people in an attempt to locate my target. I couldn't find her for several long seconds where despair began to set in before I noticed her in a corner of the bar being forced against a wall by the bastard bartender I'd bribed to take care of her in the short time I was gone.

I approached with red all over my vision as I planned to smash this idiot's face in, when I froze upon hearing their conversation.

"C'mon girly. Your little boy toy ditched you and gave me a twenty to take you off his hands. He doesn't care enough for you to stick around to why don't you hang out with me back at my place?"

Between sobs that only peaked my anger Sakura sobbed out, "No. Gaara would n-never...He cares about me; he was supposed to care about me!" Another rush of tears came on then and the asshole slammed her arms which were gripped in his back against the wall.

"Get over that guy and come back to my place bitch!"

"I-...I can't. Even if Gaara left I've got to wait outside in case he comes back for me."

" 'Gaara' isn't coming back sweetheart. He left you with me which means I can do whatever I like."

"But he helped me; I thought for sure he cared..." She continued to sob as she spoke and when I saw doubt flicker in her eyes I was slamming my fist into the side of the guy's head sending him sideways away from her. I then turned to Sakura, who was cowering back against the wall with her eyes closed.

"I do care." Her eyes flew open then and she stared wide eyed into my eyes. "I've always cared." And then I was kissing her. Nothing else matter because her body was pressed against my body, my arms were wrapped around her tiny body, and I was _kissing _her. Sakura. I girl I always thought I'd never get the guts to speak to. When I finally pulled back to breathe she just blinked and braced a hand on my chest before sucking in a deep breath.

Her eyes then turned up to meet mine and a smile formed on her gorgeous and slightly swollen lips. "I care too." She threw her tiny arms around me and snuggled her cheek into my chest making it my turn to blink. I'd been expecting yelling and maybe a punch or two, but her actually returning these feelings I'd been getting seemed so preposterous the idea had never even entered my mind.

I stared down at her before whispering, "Really?"

"Really. I love you." That rocked me down to my core and I just stared at her incredulously until she pulled away and began fumbling with her hands. "Sorry. If that was too much I understand and I'll just go-"

I cut her off with another kiss before pulling away and tightly wrapping my arms around her waist. I twirled her around in her air before setting her down on the ground completely breathless. "No. That was perfect and I didn't want to scare you but I...uh...Love you too." An unfamiliar heat settled across my cheeks as I stared at her. She just smiled and dipped her head back to rest on my chest before she began to childishly singing in a soft voice with altered words that made me recognize how much this meant to her.

"I love you, you love me, let's get together make a big family..."


	12. Broken Bottle

**A/N: **Things are coming to a close on this story! *Wipes away non-existent tears* This was such fun to write and I thank everyone for their tremendous support! You guys all mean the world to me! Especially IridescentInTheDark because your constant reviews and helpful advice made this story better! Enjoy!

Sakura hummed the song Find A Way by Safetysuit as it played on the radio and even danced a little as she moved around the bar. She had been so happy lately and everything had fallen into a sort of unreal pattern of good things. Her head was healing and her bruises were fading, helping make things calmer as well as the fact that she had gone to a couple AA meetings with Gaara. She had spent the last week with Gaara, helping him out and sticking by his side during the days, waitressing during the evenings, and sleeping in Gaara's bed with Gaara at nights. At first she had refused the arrangement saying she was the one intruding and should be sleeping on the floor but Gaara had come up with the perfect rebuttal. "If Sasuke comes storming in don't you want me to be between you two?"

Sakura had easily fallen into the band's, mainly Gaara's, living style and felt quite at home with them. Most days with Gaara they would wander town or go do something random such as their bowling attempt the day before. They both learned you were supposed to **roll **the ball, not _chuck _it. The two were easily confused. They had also made several more trips to the local pool but Gaara refused to leave her side whenever they went claiming he'd have to go to jail for murdering anyone who knocked her in and then they couldn't be together.

As she picked up the empty bottles from the current table she was working on before stacking them onto her tray she heard the front door open. "Hold on a minute!" she called. She dropped her tray off at the bar save for the full bottle she was taking to her next table and turned to see her worst nightmare standing in front of her with a grim line for a mouth.

"You think you can fucking get away from me?" The bottle slipped from her fingers and hit the floor with a loud crash that turned the whole bar silent and still. Even the completely hammered had registered the crash and turned to stare silently at the scene unfolding. She immediately fell into the role of threatened and obedient Sakura as she knelt to the floor and began sweeping up the glass shards with her bare fingers. She turned her head up to look at him as she cleaned up. He looked back with a cast on his arm and brace on his knee over his jeans proving Gaara had done a number on him. If she hadn't been so terrified and her thundering heartbeat hadn't been the only thing she could hear she would have grinned and laughed at how ridiculous the dark haired boy looked.

"I'm sorry, I should have talked to yo-" A hand came across her cheek with a deafening smack. She was sent backwards, sprawled out in the glass with a red hand print on her cheek. The sound of the front door opening brought voices floating in and Sakura's stomach dropped knowing who it was.

"Alright, sorry we're late folks! We had to grab extra guitar strings cause the idiot broke hi-" Temari stopped speaking upon seeing the scene before her. Gaara and Kankuro walked in behind her, their expressions darkening at the sight. Gaara immediately came to life, storming towards Sasuke at a top speed with his fist raised and eyes blazing with a fury Sakura had only seen when Sasuke came up or around.

"You bastard! How dare you touch her!" Sasuke turned to Gaara just in time to see his oncoming punch so he could dodge it. Temari whipped out her cell phone, quickly dialing 911.

"Hello? Yes, I have a dangerous bar fight going on down at Sam's Bar House..." She continued to ramble off information as Kankuro started instructing people to get out of the bar.

Sakura remained sprawled on the floor, watching as Sasuke and Gaara exchanged blows. Things were heating up and both men were getting sloppy in their fury, leaving openings for their opponents. Things slowed to a crawl for her when Gaara backed Sasuke up into the bar where Sasuke desperately looked around for an escape. He spotted her tray of empty beer bottles and Sakura immediately knew what was going to happen next. She shoved herself to her feet, ignoring that doing so embedded glass into her palms. Sasuke grabbed a bottle and pulled back his arm to swing and just as he threw his arm forward Sakura got between the two. The bottle smashed into her left temple and everything turned dark.

~.The~.Next~.Day~.Current~.Time~.

I open my eyes to see white and lots of it. I squint, seeing a flash of red in the sea of sterile. I jerk my head to the left to see Gaara seated in the hospital chair staring at me with half closed eyes. While the fast movement brings me pain that clouds my vision, I can still see Gaara's eyes snap open before he leaps from the chair and moves to me. He falls to his knees by my side, burying his face in the crook of my neck.

"He's gone. The police showed up and got witness testimonies. Some were even regulars and accounted for multiple times where Sasuke treated you abusively. And thank Kami for security cameras. I didn't even think of it, but Sam's got a security camera on the parking lot. It showed him hitting you on the window. Dr. Tsunade also came through for us with the x-rays and with her magic skills or something she proved they were all old and untreated abuse injuries. They're going to lock him away for so long."

I smile, tears gathering in my eyes quickly as I realize I've become free. "I'm so happy."

Gaara pulls his head back so I can see his face, holding mine in his hands before placing a long and passionate kiss on my lips. He pulled away, breathing hard before announcing, "But you can't ever again do that to me. You scared me so much when you took that bottle to the head for me." He then wraps his arms around me and pulls me to his chest in a warm embrace. "All you have to do is testify at his court appearance next month and it's all over."

"It's...all over."

I don't know where I'll go from here. I don't know what I'll do. I hope Gaara will want me to continue living with him because I figured out what the pull to him I feel is. It's love and I won't trade this feeling for anything else in the world. I won't fear this gift, I will accept it.

~.One~.Year~.Later~.

"My name is Sakura Haruno and I am an alcoholic."

"Hello Sakura." Everyone choruses and I take a deep breath because I have big news for everyone.

"I struggled with alcohol abuse for three years. One year before he would even look at me, one year where he tore me away from my life, and one year where he beat me." Gaara reaches out from the chair beside me. "But my fiancé, Gaara, has helped me put down the drink and face my inner and outer demons. And I've also gained a new reason that not only I shouldn't drink for, I can't drink for it." Gaara moves his hand from wrapped around mine onto my already slightly swollen belly. I stare at him and I know that everything wasn't worthless. I have hope and I have Gaara.


End file.
